The Warlock and the Witch I
by Emerald Haze
Summary: A Lelouch x C.C story, taken in another environment altogether; meaning there won't be any mechas.
1. Chapter 1

Standing in front of the mirror, she simply stares. Her gaze is void. She continues to stare blankly at the mirror despite the man that enters the room. He approaches quietly, afraid to disturb his mistress in her deep thoughts, though she is already aware of his presence and that which was preoccupying her escapes her lips.

"Must I?"

"Yes, I am afraid so," the man says.

She scowls deeply, never having taken her eyes off the mirror. Clicking her heels she turns to face the man, a sudden look of vulnerable innocence present in her eyes, perhaps a weakness she herself refuses to acknowledge.

"It is simply not fair!" she shouts at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "This is not what I wanted!"

The man gives her an apologetic look before wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I am sorry Mistress, but I can do nothing to aid you in this matter," he whispers gently into her long green hair, "it is with much sorrow that I watch you go through all this."

Small, silent sobs shake her body gently as her tears stain the shirt of her servant. Her fingers tangle in his chemise tightly as she tries to regain control of her emotions again. Lightly, she pushes herself off of him. He loosens his hold on her, letting her pull back, and he takes the opportunity to stare into her golden brown eyes. Just as he is about to wipe the tears that stain her face, ruining her make-up, she turns her head away and returns back to her perch at the mirror.

"I apologize," the servant says before he turning around, heading out the door.

Ignoring him, she gets her things to fix her attire. As the door behind her opens and closes, she could make out for a faint instant the distant music. The violin's shrill cries remain in her mind as steals one last glance at her newly composed self.

"Is it right, to play with his feelings as such?" a soft voice spoke from the shadows.

"No. And I'm not playing with them," the lady defended herself, "nor are there any to begin with."

Another servant emerges into the room, brush in hand. "Of course not," she replies in mock seriousness, making her mistress scowl deeply. "Do not scowl like that; it is not how a proper lady behaves herself." She scolded her as she applied fresh make-up to her tear-stained visage.

"Yes mother," the younger woman merely replied sarcastically, earning nothing short of a small slap behind the head.

Both women chuckle softly. "Now, stop fidgeting if you want me to finish in time for the ceremony."

"A ceremony that I don't wish to be a part of, Marianne," said the green haired lady.

"Please, C, it is your wedding! You should be honoured that the Master has taken interest in you."

"I hardly see the interest in marrying someone of that age, he is nothing but a spoiled brat," the lady retorts, scowling yet again, making Marianne frown in concern.

The brown haired woman paused her delicate work to get a better look at her mistress. Satisfied, she put away the brushes, thinking over with how she should respond to her mistress' statement. "Well, I would have you know that Master Britannia is quite more grown up than you give him credit," C merely gave Marianne a puzzled look before her servant called over two others, "now, how would you like to do your hair this evening?"

"I don't care." C replied in utmost boredom.

"Au naturel, it would seem."

C wondered briefly, with child-like enthusiastic impatience as her servants worked on brushing her hair nice and straight, just how her husband would be like. She quickly caught herself though as she took in the sight of a smirking Marianne. As if to simply annoy her, Marianne's eyes twinkled in mischievous revelation.

After what felt like a rather elongated eternity, her servants were done and she could admire the splendid work of her butler's assistants. It was nothing out of the ordinary really, yet it still made C feel nice that her servants, now itheir/i servants rather, would take the time to help her, albeit deep down she knew it was rather by obligation.

"Does the Mistress approve?" Marianne asked, trying to seem more polite towards her mistress in front of other servants. C simply nodded and proceeded to getting up. Music filtered into the room through the now open door and a man stood in its entrance, "She is almost ready, now shoo!" Marianne said to the man, who simply nodded.

"Quickly now," Marianne ushered the other two servants to go and get their lady the final garments for her dress, handing her a pair of long gloves that rose up to just below her shoulder. They got her, her boots that rose up along her thighs and were a white in contrast to her dress, just as were the gloves as well, which left the side of her legs exposed, in a most revealing manner.

The upper part of her dress rose to her neck, where a bright red rose took place as a choker. Again, the music reached into the room, but this time it was Marianne that was holding it open. "Come, he is probably already annoyed with our delay."

C followed Marianne down the hall. She couldn't help but notice the stares she was getting as she slowly progressed down the ball hall, to which the party was underway, in celebration of her engagement. Upon arriving at the hall, C was rather quite startled; the decor was most exquisite. The ornaments were all of a beautiful mix of gold and green colours. There was even some black here and there, giving off a rather mysterious feel to the ambience of the room. The lights were bright, though slightly reddened in their refracted state from the blood red carpet that covered the normal wood flooring.

"This is stupid." C lied to herself, as she refused to admit she enjoyed how her fiancé set everything up. Marianne pushed C's lower back, enticing her to move forward in the ball room. Despite the naturally dark colours, it was bright enough for one to easily navigate the room and partake on the already overcrowded dance area.

Despite her entrance, quiet as well, the party went on. About five minutes passed, during which C complained to Marianne about her soon to be husband's so called impatience that forced her to come here sooner than she would have wished, before suddenly the lights went out just as the music reached its climax and proceeded to becoming mute.

No one panicked, as the lights immediately switched back on, revealing a man standing in the middle of the dance area. Dressed in a white tuxedo, he also wore an orange mask that covered his eyes. He was tall, and had wavy brown hair. Clearing his throat, which was easily heard with the dead eerie silence that engulfed the room, the man proceeded to animating the evening.

"As all of you already know, today is a very special occasion. A day that many of us knew was to come, but not nearly as quickly as it has. I, on behalf of My Lord, thank you for having attended. I say this, as I also have to relay another message on his behalf, he wished to inform all of you guests, family and friends," he said, then looking over at C, he added "and fiancée," who merely stared at the man, "that he regrets being unable to be here at the present hour."

Murmurs filled the room, and already C could hear the idiots whispering amongst themselves selfish ideas for their own satisfaction. But occasionally she could hear a comment being thrown about her not being good enough for someone as great as the Master Britannia. She was also getting aggravated as her spouse's identity remained anonymous to her, other than what family he belonged to as well as him being amongst the youngest of them.

"He will however, appear later during the evening, and he apologizes again for the inconvenience his other duties have made," the man with the mask continued. "Please, for now, I, on behalf of My Lord, hope that you will continue to enjoy yourselves." He finished as he gave sign for the orchestra to resume their routine.

The man made his way over to where Marianne and C were standing. "It is good to see Madame Marianne, and you as well, Madame C," he greeted bowing his head to them both, making Marianne smile a little.

"Please, Sir Jeremiah, there is no need for you to bow to someone such as me."

"But Madame is held in high respects by My Lord."

"Then you should respect my wishes of not wanting to be treated anymore more than the servant to Milady."

The man called Jeremiah reluctantly sighed at Marianne's logic, making C smile a little. "Again, my condolences for My Lord's absence," he said while turning his attention to C, "he has been rather busy as of late what with the tensions in the East. Not to mention that this marriage is rather sudden," he added turning back to Marianne.

C blinked in surprise looking at Marianne herself, whom in return only gave an innocent smile. "Forgive me, Milady," she said, making Jeremiah raise an eyebrow in confusion. C glared in a manner that Marianne had never seen before, shortly after she made her departure as quick as possible, leaving a very confused Jeremiah behind as Marianne followed her mistress, muttering a small apology.

C locked herself in her designated room and went straight to bed. She didn't bother with taking off any of her clothing, it was not worth the effort and she preferred to keep this dress intact, something she feared to be unable to do without the help of other servants. Marianne's voice called to her through the door, but she steadfastly ignored it. How could she? How could Marianne, the woman whom she had the utmost confidence in, go behind everyone's backs, let alone hers, and arrange such a preposterous ordeal such as this? C closed her eyes, forcing herself to void her mind of any thoughts, and slowly but surely, drifted off into a deep slumber.

When C woke up again, the sound of music was still. Briefly she wondered how long she had slept, and if it had been long enough for the party to finish. But alas, she could distinctly make out a voice speaking in the levels below that she could vaguely recognize as that of Jeremiah's. She tried to focus on what it was exactly that he was saying, as soon as cheer and clapping had made its way to her ears. Intrigued, C went to her door, opening it to hear better.

Everything was still muffled despite her new position, and so C made her way down the hallways again to find herself back to the ball room, to her surprise which seemed to house even more people than it previously did last time she had been.

"And so, here I give you now," Jeremiah said, making C's eyes widen in shock at the man he made way for, and she could make out the man behind him with crystal clarity despite the dimmed lights for dramatic effect, "My Lord, Your Highness, Lelouch vi Britannia."

And the crowd erupted in cheers.


	2. Chapter 2

The roar was deafening. She could feel her heart throbbing in her throat, and she was sure she was going to be sick. This could not be happening. There was no way that she would be made to marry _that_ man, if you could even call him that. He was literally a living legend. His tale was known throughout the world. He was _despised_ throughout the world, and she would be the witch who would be married to him. C did not want to marry this… monster.

Son of one of the most terrible dictators to ever walk the face of the planet, Lelouch vi Brittania would not however let his father's glory overshadow him. At the mere age of 17, and working under the disguise of Zero, Lelouch led one of the greatest rebellions against the Holy Brittanian Empire over Area 11, formerly Japan. His attempt to overthrow his father was a failure however, and he was eventually captured. Declared dead, the Black Rebellion as it would be called was officially ended, as were the hopes of not only the people of Japan, but of the various other oppressed nations all over the world.

The remainders of Zero's pseudo army, the Black Knights; however, were not so easily fooled, and refused to give in. A year into the aftermath of the Black Rebellion, Zero would rise once more; Lelouch had been freed by Kallen, his second in command at the time. Leading the Black Knights once more, Lelouch fought for the liberation of Area 11, and the Black Rebellion was in full swing once more. Contrary to the last, the resurrected Black Rebellion would prove successful. Lelouch's efforts would allow him to infiltrate the flying fortress Damocles, where his father was commanding the forces fighting Lelouch's Black Knights. He would then assassinate his father, still seated in his throne at his death.

It is said that Lelouch was wearing his father's crown before his heart had even stopped. Upon usurping his father's throne, Lelouch began his reign of terror; first, he eliminated the remaining nations outside of the Holy Brittanian Empire. Secondly, he would turn his attention back to his former allies, the Black Knights, eradicating them and reclaiming Area 11 that he had given back to the Japanese people as a motion of peace.

The Black Knights would not go down without a fight however. Two years after the beginning of his reign, the third Black Rebellion would start. The shortest of the three, Lelouch vi Brittania made certain that the world understood what would happen to those who opposed him, publicly executing all of the members of the Black Knights, his brother Schneizel among them, who had been at the head of the rebellion.

While this earned him many enemies, it assured him complete control of the world. Despite the brutality of his rule, many recognized that he had successfully united the world under one banner. Whether this had been his intention or not, however, is still in question. Many details of the rebellions were certainly left out, obviously to make their new Emperor look lesser than the tyrant he actually was. Watching him bask in all his glory, C felt nothing but hatred. Despite this, C could not help but feel curious. Why had he chosen iher/i of all people to marry? It was not as though she had any importance; she was not even truly a noble, she had been adopted some twenty years ago by some nameless family.

C was brought back to reality by Marianne who gently put her hand on her shoulder. C was still mad at Marianne for having organised this entire ordeal, but her curiosity got the better of her; "How is it that you have connections with him?" C refused to say the name of her future husband.

"Milady, you must understand…" Marianne began sorrow, evident in her eyes.

"Understand why you betrayed me so? I think not. And you have not answered my query," C replied hotly, glaring at her servant. If C did not know Marianne better, she would have said that she was fidgeting, but she knew that this was all part of Marianne's mind games. Finally, understanding that she would not get an answer out of her, C impatiently turned away, shrugging off her servant's hand from her shoulder.

She remained at the door, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Lord Jeremiah made a sign, requesting silence from the crowd, still cheering for their Emperor. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Today, is a special day, as I am sure you are all already aware," his gaze travelled amongst the eager nobles. "Our Emperor, Lelouch vi Brittania, is to be wed in three days' time."

Another round of cheers erupted amongst the crowd. Despite herself, C felt her ears blush and butterflies in her stomach as she eagerly anticipated what was to be said next. "Now, I am sure that you are all eager to hear who has captured our young Master's heart. I will permit myself to say this; it is no coincidence that we are all here tonight."

Murmurs instantly broke out amongst the guests. C bit her lip nervously and looked at Marianne, from whom she received but a soft smile, and a gentle nudge to move forward. The crowd hushed itself as Lelouch approached the edge of the platform he and Lord Jeremiah shared. Lelouch motioned for him to hand over the microphone. "If I may," he said in his gentle voice. "I would like to ask my fiancée, future Empress of the Holy Brittanian Empire, to join me." As he said this, C could feel his violet gaze upon her, as if he knew her to be there. "Milady Cecilia Lamperouge," he said extending his hand in her direction, staring directly at her.

The crowd gasped in shock, turning in her general direction. C felt mixed emotions; some of the eyes upon her held anger, and jealousy, while others held love and admiration. She chose to ignore them however, as her caramel eyes were fixing Lelouch's violet ones. Despite herself, she felt her feet carrying her towards him. As she got close enough, she saw the flicker of an emotion in her fiancé's eyes. She could not put her finger on what it was however. There was familiar warmth to them, warmth that she could not place. It was if they knew each other.

She found herself taking his hand, suddenly completely at his mercy. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest as their hands touched. Lelouch brought her hand to his lips, kissing the top elegantly, his eyes never leaving her own. She felt like a schoolgirl, and knew she must have been blushing. Even though she felt nothing but discomfort, she could not tear her eyes aware from Lelouch's.

Lelouch straightened up, turning his attention back to his audience, leaving C to feel disappointed for a reason she could not explain. "Lelouch vi Brittania commands you, bow." A shiver ran down C's spine as he pronounced those words, a familiar ring to them making her stomach do a summersault in excitement. To her astonishment, the guests did as they were told. She looked at Lelouch who wore a satisfied expression upon his face. "Rise," he said after a moment, to which the crowd roared "All hail Brittania! All hail Lelouch vi Brittania!"

Lelouch motioned for Jeremiah who was instantly at his master's side. He handed him the microphone, which he accepted with another bow. Lelouch turned on his heels and began to walk away, leaving C alone with Jeremiah. "Now, milords and ladies, I do pray you shall enjoy yourselves for the rest of the eve."

Confused, and feeling out of place, C jumped slightly as she felt Marianne's hand on her shoulder once more. Marianne was positively beaming. "Come, I believe it would be best should we retire for the eve."

C simply nodded slowly, and followed Marianne off the platform, but not before casting one last glance in the direction where Lelouch had left. In less than two days, she would be married to him. Perhaps it would not be as bad as she had thought.

Lelouch opened the door to his room, throwing his cape into the arms of a nearby man. "Surely it wasn't that bad now, was it?" said the man. Falling onto the closest chair, Lelouch covered his eyes with his long fingers, peeking through them to look at the man.

"No," he admitted reluctantly with another sigh, closing his eyes again.

The man simply smiled, carefully folding Lelouch's cape. "And?"

Lelouch did not even bother looking at the man this time as he answered. "And what?"

"Is she as you remembered her?" the man enquired.

Lelouch did not answer. Instead, he got up, making his way to the bathroom. The man put his hand on Lelouch's shoulder, his green eyes searching Lelouch's violet ones, as if looking for his answer in them. "I have no desire to discuss this, Suzaku."

Suzaku's mouth twitched as if he meant to say something, but he refrained from doing so, respecting Lelouch's wishes. "Yes, My Lord," he finally said, taking his hand off Lelouch's shoulder and bowing. "You need not do that, Suzaku."

"The servants prepared the bath for you not to long ago, as you requested," Suzaku said, feigning he had not heard his friend he straightened.

Lelouch closed the door to the bathroom, and stripped himself of his clothing. He slowly lowered himself into the still steaming bath, relishing the comfort it brought to his tense muscles. The young man reposed his head onto the back of the tub, closing his eyes, completely exhausted. He opened them a crack as he thought about what had just transpired. "I am going to be wed…" With that last statement, he fell into a deep, comfortable slumber.


End file.
